2. FIELD OF THE INVENTION
Hunters and observers of game animals have long realized the importance of gaining elevation from ground level to get above the animals line of sight, to avoid detection by the animals keen sense of smell, and to increase the hunter or obervers visibility of the area.
Portable tree climbing stands, seats, and platforms that allow one to obtain elevation have been the subject of many previous patents which depict a variety of construction techniques and art forms. Compromise between physical weight, size, strength, user comfort, portability, method of attachment to the tree, ease of operation, mode of use; standing, sitting, or a combination of both, facing tree or facing away from the tree, or probably the most important, user safety, are but some of the major variables of the art.
This invention is an improvement in user safety and comfort for tree climbing apparatus or device.
2. DESCRIPTION OF PRIOR ART
Tree climbing devices have been the subject of many patents including the following:
U.S. Pat. No. 3,485,320 to Jones, Dec., 1969
U.S. Pat. No. 3,960,240 to Cotton, June, 1, 1976
U.S. Pat. No. 4,137,995 to Fonte, Feb. 6, 1979
U.S. Pat. No. 4,230,203 to Sweat, Oct. 28, 1980
U.S. Pat. No. 4,316,526 to Amacker, Feb. 23, 1982
U.S. Pat. No. 4,321,983 to Nelson, Mar. 30, 1982
U.S. Pat. No. 4,331,216 to Amacker, May 25, 1982
U.S. Pat. No. 4,417,645 to Untz, Nov. 29, 1983
U.S. Pat. No. 4,452,338 to Untz, June 5, 1984
These patents feature two separate members operating independent of each other, with the user's feet operating the lower device usually called a foot climber, and the user's arms operating the upper unit or stand.
Some devices require the user to sit facing the tree while others allow the user to sit with back against the tree, and a few permit the user a combination of both. U.S. Pat. No. 3,960,240 to Cotton allows the user to climb and descend a tree while facing away from the tree, but this places the user in an awkward and unsafe position while raising and lowering the members. Furthermore, the user of any climbing device should be able to see the tree or structure being climbed since some trees are prone to have decayed or rotten cavities which could result in a serious accident if not detected in due time. U.S. Pat. No. 4,230,203 to Sweat attempts to solve the problem of climbing a tree while facing it. Sweat requires repositioning the body on the upper climbing member in order to have the user's back against the tree with user facing away from the tree. This increases the visibility and mobility while standing on the lower member's platform and using upper member as a seat. This also allows the use of archery equipment which requires more forward room away from the tree. Again user safety is sacrificed since one must step out of the upper climbing member and back onto the lower member platform one leg at a time. The user could disengage the upper member's grippers while making the 180 degree turn on the platform resulting in loosing balance and one's safety would depend on an auxiliary safety strap or harness not the subject of this patent. Another disadvantage of this type of climbing apparatus requires the user to straddle the means that makes contact with tree or other columnar like structure on the upper climbing device where user's sensitive lower anatomy can easily make contact with the means. A serious accident is very possible if the lower climbing member slips and allows user to fall downward making contact with said member between user's legs. U.S. Pat. No. 4,316,526 to Amacker on Feb. 23, 1982 offers a stable two piece climbing apparatus but user is facing the tree which restricts the user's field of view and furthermore archery equipment is very difficult to use with this stand. It should be noted that no back support is provided and user must straddle as in Sweat for the user. The steel spike grippers have been known to dig into soft wood trees so deep that it was very difficult to disengage the grippers with user's feet.
Amacker 4,331,216 solved the problem of user restriction as to facing the tree when the desired height was reached by making a much larger lower climbing member and also a large upper climbing member which has a sliding detachable seat permitting the user to sit against tree, using the tree as a back rest. However, the user is positioned inside the rectangular frame which provides some safety but restricts a person using archery equipment. One can use archery equipment, but it's very easy to strike the front and side member with said equipment creating a noise that alerts game animals. When using the detachable sliding seat in the forward position away from the tree, there is no back rest provided to support user's back which is uncomfortable. It should be further noted that when the seat on the upper member is against the tree with user facing away from the tree, the upper member's forward frame is used as a foot support or rest. The user's legs have to be extended extremely high in an uncomfortable and awkward position, especially if the proper distance for sitting is maintained between the upper and lower member. Again the two steel spike grippers have been known to dig very deep into soft wood bark trees requiring a very difficult task for the user to remove them by upward pressure provided by the feet and legs. U.S. Pat. No. 4,321,983 to Nelson discloses a climbing apparatus consisting of an upper climbing device that supports user's body with user's feet extending downward through an opening allowing user's feet to operate a lower climbing device that supports user's feet. Once user has reached the desired elevation the upper climbing device can be used to sit on with a back rest member provided. User can also stand on the seat or platform and can position a cloth seat attached between the two side frame members to sit upon and rest user's back against the tree. This stand offers the user a lot of versatility but has no forward safety means to keep user from stepping off the platform when standing upright. Side to side stabilization is impaired since the platform member is attached to the two side frame members by bolts, flanges and nuts. And the forward wedge support member is not permanently attached between the two side frame members allowing the side frame members to flex. It should be noted that the wedge used to secure the climbing stand to the tree has a limited contact area against said tree, and the upper engaging bar member that contacts opposite side of said tree has no external grippers provided on said engaging bar member to securely engage said tree. The lower device or foot climber has no platform available to secure user's feet to said device and requires good balance and skill on user's part to operate the said device. The physical weight of this stand is also heavy since larger diameter tubing has to be used due to the extreme forces created between the forward wedge and engaging bar member due to lever type action as a result of the closeness of the forward wedge and engaging bar member.
In Untz U.S. Pat. No. 4,417,645 the user faces the tree while climbing and when the desired height is reached the user can continue to sit on the platform with feet resting on lower members platform or can stand on lower member's platform and turn around facing away from said tree. However, when using archery equipment, the fixed back rest support offers a forward obstruction to archery equipment and due to lower members, small size, user stability and mobility is impaired. Another disadvantage of the lower climbing member is the bar that is welded for support between the arms and used as the means to place feet under the said bar to lift the climbing member to disengage and engage the said climbing member. Only limited control is provided for the climbing member and requires extra effort and skill to use on tree having a scaley, loose bark, and again the space for the user's feet is very limited.
Untz in U.S. Pat. No. 4,452,338 solved the problem of using the upper climbing member to sit on or stand on with the addition of a dual purpose seat that could be used as a back rest while sitting on the platform. Seat could also swing or pivot upward against the tree to be used a a seat. Archer equipment could now be used without any forward or side restriction, especially when standing on the upper climbing member platform. However, in order to order to raise the seat upward and against the tree, the user must step onto the platform and while raising the seat upward, one must step over and around the seat one foot and leg at a time. Even with an auxiliary safety strap or harness attached from user to said tree, the danger exists to loose balance while pivoting the seat upward to rest against said tree. Another disadvantage of the above patent is when user is standing on the upper member platform, which has a limited usable forward platform size when its seat back is in place against the tree, there is no forward means to prevent the user from falling off the platform.
The following U.S. Patents depict telescoping components used on tree climbing devices that allow the said devices to be able to adjust to varying tree diameters, and to level the said devices using a variety of anchoring methods:
U.S. Pat. No. 4,022,292 to Van Gompel on May 10, 1977
U.S. Pat. No. 4,316,526 to Amacker on Feb. 23, 1982
U.S. Pat. No. 4,321,983 to Nelson on Mar. 30, 1982
U.S. Pat. No. 4,331,216 to Amacker on May 25, 1982
U.S. Pat. No. 4,417,645 to Untz on Nov. 29, 1983
U.S. Pat. No. 4,452,338 to Untz on June 5, 1984
The following U.S. Patents further show a variety of one piece and/or disconnect loops with different auxiliary grippers attached to encircle and engage a tree or columnar like structure to level the tree climbing device, and to further provide adjustability for varying diameter trees and to keep said climbing device in a stable position.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,338,332 to Brantly on Aug. 29, 1967
U.S. Pat. No. 3,955,645 to Dye on May 11, 1976
U.S. Pat. No. 4,022,292 to Van Gompel on May 10, 1977
U.S. Pat. No. 4,321,983 to Nelson on Mar. 30, 1982
U.S. Pat. No. 4,417,645 to Untz on Nov. 29, 1982
U.S. Pat. No. 4,452,338 to Untz on June 5, 1984
The following U.S. Patents depict stands with seats attached and/or fold-down seats attached:
U.S. Pat. No. 3,338,332 to Brantley on Jan. 21, 1966
U.S. Pat. No. 3,419,108 to Mobbs on Oct. 10, 1966
U.S. Pat. No. 3,485,320 to Jones on Dec. 23, 1969
U.S. Pat. No. 3,730,294 to Thurmond on May 1, 1973
U.S. Pat. No. 4,120,379 to Carter on Oct. 17, 1978
U.S. Pat. No. 4,134,474 to Stavenah on Jan. 16, 1979
U.S. Pat. No. 4,236,602 to Leggett on Dec. 2, 1980
U.S. Pat. No. 4,321,983 to Nelson on Mar. 30, 1982
U.S. Pat. No. 4,369,858 to Babb on Jan. 25, 1983
U.S. Pat. No. 4,452,338 to Untz on June 5, 1984